The Minnesota Craniofacial Research Training Program is a direct response to PA-05-101, and the national need to train the next generation of biomedical scientists to work on significant problems in craniofacial, dental, and oral health research. The mission of the program is to engage trainees in novel, mentored research that is fundamental to biology and human health, and translational research that expands the frontiers and scope of craniofacial, dental, and oral health. To foster our mission and ensure strong mentorship and cross-disciplinary research training, a non-hierarchical and highly consultative administrative structure is in place. The University of Minnesota also serves as a center for training in craniofacial, dental, and oral health research in partnership with dental schools at the University of Puerto Rico, Southern Illinois University, and Marquette University. Trainees engage in cross-disciplinary research training opportunities with groups of experienced, dedicated and well-supported mentors in Neuroscience, Microbiology and Immunology;Cancer Biology;Developmental Biology, Molecular Genetics, and Stem Cells;Clinical Research;Translational Genetics and Communication Disorders;Biophysical Sciences;Nanotechnology, Materials Sciences, and Tissue Engineering;and Genomics, Proteomics, Structural Biology, and Computational Biology. Trainee programmatic options include DDS/PhD (DSTP), MD/PhD (MSTP), predoctoral PhD, postdoctoral fellows, post-DDS postdoctoral PhD (with or without advanced clinical training), post-DDS postdoctoral/MS in Clinical Research. The Minnesota Craniofacial Research Training program builds upon our considerable training experience, outstanding applicant pools and partnerships, new initiatives to recruit and retain DSTP fellows, and appreciation for creative, cross-disciplinary mentored research training. Our alumni work at the state-of-the-art to expand the frontiers of biology and craniofacial, dental, and oral health research.